1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic drain plug and associated attachment and, more particularly, pertains to utilizing magnetic fields to preclude damage which would otherwise be caused by magnetic particles suspended within the oil of a crankcase for an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of plugs for crank cases and other devices of a wide variety of designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, plugs for crank cases and other devices of a wide variety of designs and configurations heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of removing harmful particles from oil lubricating an internal combustion engine by various methods and apparatuses are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, the prior art discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 3,869,391 to Kramer a magnetic drain plug assembly with a plug including a magnet on one end thereof for detecting metal chips in the lubrication sump of an engine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,839,044 to Tomita discloses a magnet filter in which a permanent magnet piece is wrapped up by a magnetically permeable plate except for at least one magnetic pole surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,857,188 to Aisa et al. discloses an iron powder attracting magnet wherein a plurality of spaces are formed to open to an iron powder attracting surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,894,153 to Shirdavani discloses a magnetic attachment for a filter in which a plurality of magnets are detachably attached to the exterior of the cylindrical casing of a liquid filter unit.
Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,112 to Eichman discloses an oil drain apparatus which is directed into an oil filter boss in an operative association with a valve to permit selective flow of oil from the valve directed from the oil filter boss.
In this respect, the magnetic drain plug and associated attachment system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of utilizing magnetic fields to preclude damage which would otherwise be caused by magnetic particles suspended within the oil of a crankcase for an internal combustion engine.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved magnetic drain plug and associated attachment system which can be used for utilizing magnetic fields to preclude damage which would otherwise be caused by magnetic particles suspended within the oil of a crankcase for an internal combustion engine. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.